Melkbos charity workers ‘arrested’

The entire management of the Melkbosstrand Community Centre was arrrested and charged with benevolence on Saturday.

This was the first time ever that anyone has been arrested on this charge, which, if found guilty in a court of lore carries the maximum sentence of a lifetime in altruism.

The tongue-in-cheek arrest over the weekend greatly outrivaled this article’s intro.

A court of lore?!

“On Saturday the public viewed quite the spectacle when we were arrested by members of the police, the fire brigade, the neigbourhood watch, Avenue Response and Law Enforcement.” said Liesl Schoonraad from Melkbosstrand Community Centre (MCC).

“This was all done as part of a fundraising effort towards the project ‘No violence against women and children’.”

She adds that the convoy of officers completely ignored the lipstick and pretty smiles when they made the arrest.

The 10 MCC members were whisked away to the police station where their fingerprints were taken.

After their rights were read they were stuffed into a small jail cell – so much for their rights!

The reason for the prank was to get members of the public to “bail” them out and then use the funds to provide education to those who cannot afford it.

“Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and at the Community Centre we firmly believe that charity should begin with the young,” says Schoonraad.

With their “sad faces” behind bars, the team managed to raise R10 200 in cash.

The jailbirds also received donations of coffee and food from corporate donors.

Schoonraad says various escape attempts were made during the day, but none were successful.

“We had good laughs, but it is important to remember that we were sitting in the very place we are trying to get the youth to stay out of. Once you have committed a crime, it is no laughing matter, your future changes in that moment.”

***DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN TYGERBURGER, A CAPE TOWN BASED MEDIA24 COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. IT MAY NOT BE DUPLICATED WITHOUT ACCREDITING THE SOURCE – TYGERBURGER, MEDIA24.***